


The Chiefest among Ten Thousand

by toujours_nigel



Category: The Charioteer - Mary Renault
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-04
Updated: 2012-06-04
Packaged: 2017-11-06 20:39:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/422958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toujours_nigel/pseuds/toujours_nigel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>bit of Valentine's Day fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Chiefest among Ten Thousand

“The non-existent roses in our non-existent garden suddenly burst into flower,” he wants to say, and, in the back of his head, “I’m sorry, Lanyon, please.”  
  
It’s ridiculous, and a little pathetic—‘did he beat you, in school?’ Bunny asks, voice smooth malice—that Ralph can still reduce him to this blubbering school-boy with a raised eyebrow. “Hullo, Ralph.”  
  
“Hullo Spud.” Ralph’s gloved hand hovers a moment before settling into his hair. “Terribly busy?”  
  
“A little,” he says, leaning his head gratefully back into the caress. “How’d you know I had a headache?” He hadn’t, till this moment with the pain being firmly eased away.  
  
“You frown when you’re unsure whether you’re imagining the pain.” There’s something in Ralph’s voice like the prelude to a laughing reprimand. “Take you very much longer?”  
  
“No.” He writes furiously for five minutes, aware far more of Ralph’s waiting warmth behind him than the words flowing from his pen. “I’m done.”  
  
Ralph slips a hand down to grip his and haul him from the chair, steadying him against his own solid stance, pulling him close.  
  
“The blackout,” he says, swaying away.  
  
Ralph gathers him unresistingly close again. “Your opinion of my stamina,” he laughs, “is terribly flattering, Spud. It’s hours to full dark.”  
  
He tries to cover his embarrassment by leaning in to kiss Ralph, and again, and thinks it has worked till Ralph pulls away again, to say, the laughter in his voice bubbling dangerously up, “the flowers are lovely, Spud, thank you.”


End file.
